Philips Fidelio P9 review

Stylish and portable with a seriously enjoyable sound – there's a lot to like about this Bluetooth speaker
Tested at £240

Our Verdict

Stylish and portable with a seriously enjoyable sound – there's a lot to like about this Bluetooth speaker

For

Great design

Premium materials

Easy set-up

Enjoyable upfront sound

Portable

Against

Slightly on the heavy side

We've been pretty impressed by the Philips Fidelio range in the past. From headphones to speaker docks, Philips has managed successfully to walk that difficult line between style and performance. And it looks like the company has another hit on its hands with the Philips Fidelio P9 Bluetooth speaker.

Philips Fidelio P9 review: Design

At first glance, the P9 immediately impresses with its classic, unfussy design. Its front is covered with an aluminium grill, while a connected leather cover both protects it and neatly doubles up as a stand.

Close it and it will even turn off the speaker automatically to preserve power. The P9 not just a pretty face.

Philips Fidelio P9 review: Sound quality

Of course, as a portable speaker the P9's size is going to limit the sound it is capable of producing - if you're looking for hi-fi level audio, this isn't the speaker for you.

However what it does produce is an energetic, enjoyable sound. For a minute, we stopped analysing what it was doing and just listened - and that is half its beauty.

It may not be the last word in detail and separation, but you don't really notice its shortcomings because you are simply too busy enjoying the music.

Philips Fidelio P9

This enjoyment comes from a sound that is balanced and dynamic, and doesn't feel compromised.

The music is warm and inviting, with a midrange that shines and vocals that invite you to sing along.

It's a wide sound for such a small speaker too, and offers volume that will fill a reasonably sized room without sounding harsh or overdone.

Its portability and simplicity are just more strings to its bow. Bluetooth setup is

a breeze and with eight hours of wire-free playback, it'll easily last you for a day or two if you're away from home - looking the part while it does so.

Philips Fidelio P9 review: Verdict

The Fidelio P9 has to be one of the nicest looking Bluetooth speakers we've seen. With a performance that impresses and a clever design, we've found a whole lot to like in this very portable package.